Are the fans the problem with boxing today?

Is that the excuse for watching a boring fight? It's always the same excuse, casuals, punching bags, not running, he was holding too....ect A boring fight is a boring fight, dont care what skill level they're at, i'am paying money for a good entertaining show, if you dont give the fans what they want, dont expect much in return. Just look at Rigo, fans spent money to see him put on a show, he didn't deliver, so they left their seats and got their entertainment elsewhere. The mistake people make is confusing the art of boxing, with "Professional Boxing". Like it or not, cry of you want to, but once you enter the pro ranks, it's about entertaining the masses, the fans pay your living, if you have nothing for them, they have nothing for you. These clincher lovers and marathon supporters are usually the once who dont get it, you're not entertaining anyone if you clinch or run for the whole fight. ANything that takes fans from what Boxing is all about, Punching your opponent.

It's been like this for a long time. If the guy you're supporting loses, it's because of this and that. If your guy isn't getting the fight you want right away, it's because everyone is ducking him. If your guy is doing the ducking, it's because of this and that. Nothing new.

Very controversial but a lot of boxing fans nowadays, especially "some" of the casuals (no offence) refuse to acknowledge good boxing unless it involves a KO as it is "boring". Schooling a fighter in theory is the best show of boxing skills and winning. I believe thats why certain fighters like Rigo are not very popular even though he has a pretty high KO percentage. The fans like aggressive fighters who fight "Mexican style"; as GGG calls it. Rigo doesn't even hold or run from opponents, could he be more aggressive? Sure, but he doesnt fight like Lara did against Canelo that's for sure... Rigo is awesome at what he does, he pummeled Donaire in the middle of the ring... Who cares what casuals think, they only watch to see someone get knocked out anyway, that's why they all like UFC over boxing...

Very interesting responses, glad to see everyone contributing to this debate.

The problem is not the fans. The problem is that there isn't enough fighters like this in the sport... Offense creates excitement. People like it when a fight has them sitting on the edge of their seat, jumping up and down from time to time, while yelling, "OH YEA, HIT HIM, HIT HIM, HIT HIM!!!!!!!". Defensive minded fighters, that are constantly running backwards, grabbing and holding, and throwing nothing gut get off me kind of punches, do not create that kind of excitement. :boxing: :boxing:

yea but some of these idiots actually think they're are the fighter themselves

No it's fighters cherry picking, crying to refs, avoiding prime fighters, crying about gloves, without the fans boxing wouldn't exist. Boxing must generate its money from the fans just remember that.

The problem with some people who frequent this board is they must have forgot that offense is a skill as well. Indeed it seems like scoring is skewed towards a fighter who is defensive and looking pretty than the guy who is actually putting in the work. So much for giving the guy who is the making the fight the close round. As for the fans? No the fans aren't the problem, boxing has a **** load of problems, can you really blame people for giving up in boxing when there is a litany of paper champs, ducking, and the biggest fight of this era is happening(or may not happen) 5 years later? I wouldn't, I love boxing, always will, but I can understand why it's not as popular as it used to be.

The problem with some people who frequent this board is they must have forgot that offense is a skill as well.

The problem is not the fans. The problem is that there isn't enough fighters like this in the sport... Offense creates excitement. People like it when a fight has them sitting on the edge of their seat, jumping up and down from time to time, while yelling, "OH YEA, HIT HIM, HIT HIM, HIT HIM!!!!!!!". Defensive minded fighters, that are constantly running backwards, grabbing and holding, and throwing nothing gut get off me kind of punches, do not create that kind of excitement.

Biggest problem in this respect is that the 'hardcore' fanbase for the sport has shrunk to almost nothing, both in absolute terms and as a percentage of the audience for televised fights. The majority of the TV audience are 'casuals', and don't follow the fight closely enough to recognise bullshit when that's what they're getting. That's ultimately what it comes down to. As boxing has become more and more marginal, fewer and fewer people know what's real and what isn't.

Which fight are you referring to? donaire, probably; a bigger guy with an iron chin in his prime. but what do i know?:boxing:

you pay money to get entertained. Bottom line. Thats why baseball isnt the national pasttime anymore and the NFL is. Baseball did not adapt. No one wants to sit through 4 hours games of no offense. The sport needs to adapt, not the fan. Its amazing how backwards people can think when it comes to boxing. Boxing isnt popular because it doesnt appeal to people so it is the responsibility of boxing to adapt and make itself more appealing. That is pretty much it right there.

Promoters and media don't give 2 ***** of the boxing fans because the loudest one are stupid for an example keith thurman stock to a hit because he didn't ko bundoo and is now consider a runner even doe he got the knockdown landed and threw the most punches and over all has a ko% 88 Actually that is a classic case of what I call the "Boxing Bubble". Basically you have a fighter coming up and they put him with a bunch of opponents that are in there for nothing more then record building. Now this fighter is starting to look really impressive. At this point, a fighters stock stops being based on what the fighter has actually done in the ring and starts getting artificially inflated, based on the perception of what people think he may be. Then the fighter steps up a little in competition and now he isn't looking so great. Reality starts setting in and people realize that when he starts fighting the top level guys, he is not going to be running around knocking them all out, like they thought he would. The bubble starts collapsing and people start basing his stock again on what he has actually done in the ring. I am not trying to bash Thurman. I actually like the guy and I hope he turns out to be the next superstar. At this point, it is hard to say weather he is going to be the next superstar or if he ends up in the ring with a Marcos Maidana type of fighter and gets his arse knocked out.

Fans are a big problem in boxing, always have. From streaming(I'm guilty as well) to defending a boxer's money/PPVs.

funny, i didnt mention floyd once, you did. lol You don't have the mental capacity to understand why.

Rigo has fought one guy, and it was ugly to watch. The worst part is that he could have finished it. He chose to pull off the gas and it cost him. Play it safe and win. OK great. Lose out on money then. Which fight are you referring to?

Very controversial but a lot of boxing fans nowadays, especially "some" of the casuals (no offence) refuse to acknowledge good boxing unless it involves a KO as it is "boring". Schooling a fighter in theory is the best show of boxing skills and winning. I believe thats why certain fighters like Rigo are not very popular even though he has a pretty high KO percentage. The fans like aggressive fighters who fight "Mexican style"; as GGG calls it. Take some time to go through the thread titles and then ask the question again. This is supposed to be a place for diehard fans. Instead of boxing discussions most of the busiest threads are about Floyd's spending habits, ms. Jackson, boxing meme's, etc etc. When you have a KO like JMM over Manny, we get more threads/posts about luck and PED use than we do timing and setting traps. When someone boxes to a win, its labeled running or called boring. Posters denounce skill in favor of "excitement"-which is usually mindless punching and no defense.

you pay money to get entertained. Bottom line. Thats why baseball isnt the national pasttime anymore and the NFL is. Baseball did not adapt. No one wants to sit through 4 hours games of no offense. The sport needs to adapt, not the fan. Its amazing how backwards people can think when it comes to boxing. Boxing isnt popular because it doesnt appeal to people so it is the responsibility of boxing to adapt and make itself more appealing.

because "fans" cant accept a loss, "fans" think they know more about boxing than people who do it for a living, somebody always getting "exposed" as opposed to just losing a contest, if your guy loses it was because someone paid someone, not just they lost. If a young boxer looses the fans decry him as being overrated, If you Ko everyone, you've not faced competition, if you beat everyone youve not faced competition. Basically if your guy doesnt win...something had to be wrong. if anyone has an opinion different than yours, then they automatically dont know sh*t about boxing. as usual, fans think they know everything there is to know about boxing. yep its the fans:chairshot The audacity of a Floyd Stan saying this. Amazing.